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My Pinot Noir Journal

This journal is solely of personal nature and does not reflect an objective analysis of the wines.
I merely keep it for personal pleasure and as an online resource for friends and like-minded fellows.

Also, I'm not a trained wine tester - but even those tend to disagree a lot with each other ;-)

These are just the notes of a nice hobby. Don't take them too serious, but do enjoy them if you can...

General Pinot Noir links:


Grohaz is a proud donator and supporter of MADD

The hardest part is asking for help....

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: heavy
Color: veyr dark red

Personal Comments:

Boring. As Jim Carry said: "I've had better."

Website information:

Varietal Content: Pinot Noir Varietal Origin: Sonoma County Residual Sugar: 0.2g/100ml Titratable Acidity: 0.56g/100ml pH: 3.81 Alcohol Level: 13.8%

Our Sonoma County Pinot Noir is rich and balanced with red fruit flavors of cherry, blackberry and plum. Its layers unfold to reveal an earthy character and delightful herbal notes, complimented by soft vanilla and a smooth, silky finish. The grapes were destemmed and cold soaked prior to fermentation. During fermentation the enhanced contact between the skins and juice maximizes the red fruit flavors of this varietal. This wine completed malolactic fermentation.

Other information:

Land: The 2006 growing season began with a very wet winter that lasted through bloom, followed by mild weather up to mid-July. The second part of July saw very warm weather, but the cooling coastal fog rolled back in to the area and brought relief. The ripening period of August thru September was ideal, with moderate temperatures and plenty of sun to gently ripen the fruit. Harvest began in mid-September and was completed by mid-October. Overall, the 2006 vintage was one of the best in many years, with sound, ripe fruit and very few defects in the crop.

Awards

 

Frei Brothers
2006 Pinot Noir
Reserve
Russian River Valley


Smell:

spice, vanilla, berries, wood,

Purchase Price:
$24.99

Taste:

Nice and citric when it hits palante. Pleasant taste with citrus and berries. Aftertase of vanilla.

te

Rating:

GrapteStar GrapteStar GrapteStar No Grape Star No Grape Star

 



Links:

Gallo Family Vineyards

 

Kenwood Pinot Noir Label

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: medium
Color: dark red

Personal Comments:

Boring. As Jim Carry said: "I've had better."

Website information:

Varietal Content: Pinot Noir Varietal Origin: Sonoma County Residual Sugar: 0.2g/100ml Titratable Acidity: 0.56g/100ml pH: 3.81 Alcohol Level: 13.8%

Our Sonoma County Pinot Noir is rich and balanced with red fruit flavors of cherry, blackberry and plum. Its layers unfold to reveal an earthy character and delightful herbal notes, complimented by soft vanilla and a smooth, silky finish. The grapes were destemmed and cold soaked prior to fermentation. During fermentation the enhanced contact between the skins and juice maximizes the red fruit flavors of this varietal. This wine completed malolactic fermentation.

Other information:

Land: The 2006 growing season began with a very wet winter that lasted through bloom, followed by mild weather up to mid-July. The second part of July saw very warm weather, but the cooling coastal fog rolled back in to the area and brought relief. The ripening period of August thru September was ideal, with moderate temperatures and plenty of sun to gently ripen the fruit. Harvest began in mid-September and was completed by mid-October. Overall, the 2006 vintage was one of the best in many years, with sound, ripe fruit and very few defects in the crop.

Awards

 

Gallo Family Vineyards
2006 Pinot Noir
Sonoma Reserve
Sonoma County

Smell:

dark cherry, strong wood, cherry

Purchase Price:
$12.99

Taste:

Dull and acidic when it hits palante. Medium wood, cherry & spice flavor that flares for a few seconds. Berry aftertaste with no real impression.

te

Rating:

GrapteStar No Grape Star No Grape Star No Grape Star No Grape Star

 



Links:

Gallo Family Vineyards


Kenwood Pinot Noir Label

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: medium
Color: dark cherry re

Personal Comments:

Pleasant wine, nice to drink. Has full aroma. A refined guest for laid-back nights.

Website information:

 



Other information:

Estate Pinot Noir is selected to showcasethe black cherry and berry flavors.

Awards

 

River Road Vineyard
2006 Pinot Noir
Stephanie's Vineyard
Russian River Valley

Smell:

oak, spices, plum, berries, very strong aroma

Purchase Price:
$27.99

Taste:

Fruity and pleasant with a mix of oak, plum. Enticing spicy aftertaste with strawberriy flavors.

te

Rating:

GrapteStar GrapeStar GrapeStar GrapeStar No Grape Star

 



Links:

River Road Vineyards

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: medium
Color: plum red

Personal Comments:

It's a light and refreshing Pinot Noir. Nice to drink with meal but not strong enough as an adventure itself.

Website information:

 



Other information:

 

Awards

 

Kenwood
2006 Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley

Smell:

cherries, vanilla, citrus &spices in a nice blend

Purchase Price:
$18.99

Taste:

Citric when it first hits the tounge but followed by a strawberry flavor with a hint of light oak.

Strawberry-Citrus taste

Rating:

 



Links:

Kenwood Vineyards

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: light
Color: plum red

Personal Comments:

Unfortunately a rather boring wine. It's not bad, just bland. After the first splash, my taste bud were expecting some delightful flavors - but they are still waiting in v(a)in(e)

Website information:

Oddly, I purchased this bottle from my local wine store but Sterline Vineyards does not list this wine in their 2003 collection.

I wonder why ;-)

Other information:

According to the bottle: ripe red cherry and raspberry with rose petal overtones and oak barrel aging.

Awards

Hopefully none.

Sterling Vineyard
2003 Pinot Noir
Napa Valley

Smell:

mostly citric& fruity with a dash of wood

Purchase Price:
$17.99

Taste:

Slight plum & berry taste, very light overall mixture. No flavors stand out. They are all there but they almost seem to cancel each other out.

Spicy aftertaste linges for 5-10 seconds

Rating:

 



Links:

www.sterlingvineyards.com

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: medium
Color: dark red

Personal Comments:

A very fruity wine with a nice aroma. A refreshing taste with a hint of spices at the end. Seems better for early evening entertainment than a late-night emotional ride.

Website information:

"The summer of 2004 was a hot one, with temperatures at the winery exceeding 90° F. nineteen times in July and August. Cool, but dry fall weather eased the growing season toward a spectacular mid-October finale.

Our 2004 Pinot Noir echoes the style of previous vintages, by virtue of gentle techniques we continue to employ in the cellar. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts propagated from cellars in Burgundy, pressed during the last days of fermentation, and racked as soon as the wine finished malolactic fermentation. Just a touch of barrel-aged wine was included in the blend to round out the flavors and enhance complexity.

Elegant, with aromas of sliced strawberries and fresh raspberries. Surprisingly rich, with flavors of baker's chocolate and freshly roasted coffee beans. "



Other information:

WINE ANALYSIS
TA 5.36 g/l
pH 3.65
Alcohol 12.9%

Awards

 

De Loach
2005 Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley

Smell:

enticing smell of oak, berries and fruit

Purchase Price:
$19.99

Taste:

a splash of cherry and plum at first, then a tender citrus

Soothing aftertaste contains a mix of spices and a hint of oak

Rating:

 



Links:

www.deloachvineyards.com



 

Sight:

Appearance: almost clear
Body: light
Color: dark ruby red

Personal Comments:

Not an easy wine at first, but developing a very rich taste. Great wine experience overall. Lovely taste and wonderful aftertaste are creating a a flavor-filled ride for the senses This nine was 9-years-old when drunk.

Website information:
"Our 140-acre vineyard produces just 12,000 total wines since 1973. This small scale allows our windemaker the time to nurture our distinctive wines from the vinyard to the bottle.

Other information:

Tualatin Estate Vineyards, established in 1973, is one of the oldest and most respected winery and vineyard sites in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Wine grapes from our 145-acre vineyard have produced world-renowned wines for 28 years. Tualatin is the only vineyard to have won the Best of Show for both the red and white categories at the London International Wine Competition in the same year. Tualatin’s Pinot Noir captured the Governor’s Trophy, Oregon’s most prestigious wine award two years consecutively in 1994 and 1995. This is a feat unduplicated by any Oregon winery. Building on this experience as well as the latest innovations in winemaking and viticulture practices, Tualatin’s motto is “Old vines – New Vision.”

Awards

 


 

Tulatin Estate
(Willamette Valley,OR)
1998
Pinot Noir

Smell:

very spicy with cherry

Purchase Price:
~ $26.99

Taste:

acidic at first, but then a strong powerful aroma of fruit, spices and wood.
Cherry aftertaste.

Rating:

 



Links:

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: medium
Color: cherry red

Personal Comments:

A very nice wine for the price. Very fresh and fruity. Would be perfect on a Florida beach in the afternoon.

Website information:

"The summer of 2004 was a hot one, with temperatures at the winery exceeding 90° F. nineteen times in July and August. Cool, but dry fall weather eased the growing season toward a spectacular mid-October finale.

Our 2004 Pinot Noir echoes the style of previous vintages, by virtue of gentle techniques we continue to employ in the cellar. The grapes were fermented in stainless steel tanks with selected yeasts propagated from cellars in Burgundy, pressed during the last days of fermentation, and racked as soon as the wine finished malolactic fermentation. Just a touch of barrel-aged wine was included in the blend to round out the flavors and enhance complexity.

Elegant, with aromas of sliced strawberries and fresh raspberries. Surprisingly rich, with flavors of baker's chocolate and freshly roasted coffee beans. "



Other information:

WINE ANALYSIS
TA 5.36 g/l
pH 3.65
Alcohol 12.9%

Awards

 

Firesteed
2004 Pinot Noir
Oregon

Smell:

oak, cherry & strawberry

Purchase Price:
$15.99

Taste:

tasted like plum at first followed by a hint of cherry and spices. pleasant aftertaste contains a mix of spices and berry

Rating:

 



Links:

www.Firesteed.com

It's time to face the brutal truth about underage drinking....

Please enjoy your Pinot Noir responsibly. Don't Drink & Drive. Ever.

 

Sight:

Appearance: dull
Body: very light
Color: dark firebrick-red

Personal Comments:

Not the most exciting Pinot Noir. A little bland. A little dull. Might be more enjoyable as a companion to a good meal. Doesn't stand out on it's own though..

Website information:
"Grapes from cooler locations - Sonoma Coast, Carneros, and Santa Maria Valley - tend to yield lower tonnage producing only the most intense fruit. The majority of the lots were cold soaked for two to three days, fermented in closed fermentors and pumped over two to three times per day. The fermentations lasted 12 to 20 days at temperatures in the low 80Õs to low 90's. Wines were aged in American and French oak for at least 15 months. In the summer of 2002 a base blend representing about 60% of the final blend was racked, blended and returned to barrel until final assemblage in February 2003 for bottling in early May 2003. Alcohol 14.5%, Total acidity .57, pH 3.59, Residual sugar, .07"

Other information:

It is round, full bodied, and fairly complex in flavor, with a medium to long finish. In aroma, it smells of plum, vanilla, toasted oak, ripe cherry, and clove. With its evident richness and fruitiness, it can be enjoyed with broiled fish such as halibut, flounder, or swordfish; crab or shrimp Louis (with thousand island dressing); pork tenderloin with cherry sauce; or broiled steak.

Terry Nolan, Winemaker

Awards

 


 

Benziger
(Sonomy County,CA)
2001
Pinot Noir

Smell:

spicy with plums, a slight hint of oak, some cherry

Purchase Price:
~ $16.99

Taste:

refreshing fruity taste with spices. Aftertaste is soft but not distinct.

Rating:

 



Links:
Benziger

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: nice and clear
Body: light
Color: intriguing dark red

Personal Comments:

A nice and affordable wine, pleasant to drink with a long aftertaste.

Label information:
"Distinct vineyard flavors unfold in our Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noit: Monterey's rich raspberry, Santa Barbara's spicy plum, the dense black cherry of the North Coast. ine months in oak, and it's readly for salmon.

Other information:

Bottled: December 5-6, 2001
Production: 4,569 cases
% Alcohol: 13.9%
pH: 3.55
T.A.: .63
New Oak: 35%

86 - Wine Advocate
"The 2002 Vintner's Reserve Pinot Noir is a blend of equal parts fruit from Monterey, Santa Barbara, and the North Coast. It offers pleasant currant, plum, and dried herb characteristics in addition to a pleasant, open-knit style, good fruit, and medium body. Drink it over the next 1-2 years."

Critics Award - 2004 Critics Challenge International Wine Competition
Gold Medal - 2004 Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition

Kendall-Jackson (California)
2002
Pinot Noir
Vintner's Reserve

Smell:

Clean fruity & woody

Purchase Price:
~ $12

Taste:

A mild-spicy taste, pleasant in the mouth with a tingling aftertaste. Clean and long.

Rating:

 



Links:
Kendall-Jackson Winery

 

 

North American Pinot Noir

 

Sight:

Appearance: a little dull
Body: medium
Color: very deep dark red

Personal Comments:

What a great Pinot Noir. The acidity makes it a little heavier to drink, but the experience is delicious and elegant.

Website information:
"The bouquet offers aromas of bright cranberry, juicy plum, along with a touch of spice. The body of this Pinot Noir is concentrated, well balanced, and finishes with a long complex silky texture. Our 2000 Pinot Noir will enhance both casual and elegant meals. As an expression of the terroir of the Santa Maria Valley, it is of course perfect with oak-grilled, Santa Maria Barbeque style Tri-Tip. Also, try it with Planked Salmon, seared Duck Breast with honey-raisin compote or, for vegetarians, a Chanterelle and Winter Vegetable Ragout. Cheers"

Other information:

Bottled: January 28, 2002
Production: 335 cases
% Alcohol: 13.9%
pH: 3.48
T.A.: .83
New Oak: 40%

Awards

Silver Medal – San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Silver Medal – San Francisco International Wine Competition
Bronze Medal – LA County Fair Wine Competition
Bronze Medal – California State Fair Wine Competition
Bronze Medal – Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Competition
90 Points – The Wine News
90 Points - The Beverage Tasting Institute
88 Points – Wine Enthusiast, October, 2002
86 Points – Wine Spectator
“Best of the Best” – Quarterly Review of Wines, Summer 2002
1 Puff, 88 Points – Connoisseur’s Guide, November 2002
89 Points – Pinot Report, August 2002
Highly Recommended – The California Grapevine, February/March 2002
3 Stars (Recommended) – Decanter, January 2002


 

LinCourt Vineyards
(California)
2000
Pinot Noir

Smell:

Wooden, spicy and a hint of flowers

Purchase Price:
~ $20

Taste:

Mild fruity flavor, but very very pleasant in the mouth. Fine texture.

Slightly tart (acidic).

Clean aftertaste of medium extension.

Rating:

 



Links:
VinCourt Vineyards

 

 

Jancis Robinson's Wine Course - Pinot Noir and Merlot

 


Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: medium-full
Color: cherry red

Personal Comments:

Pleasant and light to drink. More suited as an addition to a nice meal than Pinot Noir experience by itself.

Website information:
"The wine was fermented in stainless steel, then racked to barrels for malolactic fermentation, a technique that aids in the integration of fruit and oak flavors. The wine was aged for seven months in American (89%) and French oak barrels. The overall barrel profile includes new (20%) and one-year-old barrels. The American barrels were ordered with a heavy toast, adding a smoky complexity to the finished wine.

The Clos du Bois 2001 Sonoma County Pinot Noir has a bright garnet hue. Notes of allspice and toasted hazelnuts accentuate fragrant aromas of dried cherries, caramel and toffee. The smooth mouthfeel boasts forward fruit flavors of cherry and plum that end in a long, creamy vanilla finish "

Other information:

Acid/pH: 0.57/3.58
Bottled: June 2002
Released: September 2002
Residual Sugars: .03% (dry)
Winemaker: Margaret Davenport
Varietal Composition: Pinot Noir 100%
Appellation: Sonoma County
Alcohol: 13.8%
Volume: 750 ml bottle
Product Name: Pinot Noir

Awards

None mentioned

 


 

Clos Du Bois
Pinoir Noir

Vintage 2001

Smell:

oak and plum smell

Purchase Price:
~ $15

Taste:

Nice flavor with light texture, a little spicy and fruity.

.

Aftertast diminshes soon but comes back again.

Rating:

 



Links:
Clos Du Bois

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: dull
Body: medium-light
Color: dark red

Personal Comments:

Great Pinot Noir for the price. Very light and easy to drink.
Definetly for someone who doesn't want a strong taste. I usually enjoy a stronger flavor, but this wine is ideal for a warm summer night.

Website information:

Other information:

 

Awards

None mentioned

 


 

Anapamu
Pinoir Noir

1998

Smell:

cherry, plum and wood

Purchase Price:
~ $11

Taste:

A mixture of citrus and wood at first, but then cherry. Crispy texture. Aftertaste pleasant and light..

Rating:

 



Links:
Lovotti.com - Brochures Anapamu

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: dull
Body: full
Color: dark red

Personal Comments:

*Corked*

Website information:

http://www.panthercreekcellars.com/

Other information:

Only 450 cases produced.

Awards

None mentioned

 


 

Panther Creek
Pinoir Noi
r
(Shea Vineyard)

1996

Smell:

*like mold*

Purchase Price:
~ $20

Taste:

*mold and musty*

It's October 2005 and my bottle of this wine is totally "corked".

Rating:

 



Links:
Brownderby.com - Panther Creek Pinot Noir 1996

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: light
Color: dark cherry red

Personal Comments:

Overall a very well developed wine with a pleasing taste and texture. Ideal for a nice dinner or for a beginning Pinot Noir drinker.

Drinking this wine on a sunny summer evening will create the ideal atmosphere for the light fruity aftertaste.

Website information:

Seductive, ripe black cherry and blueberry fruit character with complex notes of violet, spice and plum. Silky, smooth texture with soft tannins. Subtle hint of oak to complement the fruit-forward style.

Vintage
The 2004 growing season on California’s Central and North Coasts developed fully ripe Pinot Noir grapes that gives this wine exceptionally bright fruit character. Warm spring temperatures started the season off with a bang, and the vines underwent budbreak and bloom two to three weeks ahead of normal. Total rainfall was higher than normal, though our rains virtually ended by March. Good weather during bloom resulted in even berry set and a moderately-sized crop. Warm--but not too hot--weather continued through summer, as we prepared for an early harvest.

 

Robert Mondavi
Private Selection
Pinoir Noir

2004

Smell:

plum, spices and oak

Purchase Price:
~ $9

Taste:

Pleasent and rich taste. Silky texture. The spices briefly flare up on the tongue and palate, but quickly combine for a light fruity aftertaste.

Rating:

 



Links:
Robert Mondavi Private Selection

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: medium-light
Color: blood red

Personal Comments:

A nice and intersting smell, but unfortunately the spices are too strong for my liking. I usually like strong and acidic tastes, but Blackstone's 2004 Pinot Noir feels like dipping your tongue into a japaleno jar.

Website information:
"The cool climate of our vineyards in Monterey County allow theses grapes to slowly ripen, intensifying the delicate flavors of this varietal. Bright cherry, jammy berry and black tea-infused flavors dominate the palate. Its texture is silky smooth with a very soft and delicate finish."

 

Blackstone Winery
Pinoir Noir

2004

Smell:

cherry & wood smell

Purchase Price:
~ $10

Taste:

Strong spicy flavor has a strong attack and is too dominating and overpowering.

.

Pleasant oak aftertaste.

Rating:

 



Links:
Blackstone Winery

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: light
Color: dark cherry red

Personal Comments:

The price was very cheap for a 1.5L bottle, but I'll get bored drinking this one. It makes no lasting impression.

Website information:

Other information:

Imported From Italy.

Awards

None mentioned

 


 

Cavit Collection
Pinoir Noir

2004

Smell:

wood and plum

Purchase Price:
~ $12

Taste:

sour at first, then a hint of fruit followed by way too many spices.

Aftertaste burns for a little bit, not much flavor though.

Rating:

 



Links:

 

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear and appealing
Body: light
Color: colorful cherry red

Personal Comments:

Acacia has hit a very exciting and pleasing mixture with this 2004 Pinot Noir.

Label information:
"As a leader of the new Carneros, Acacia produces compelling Pinot Noir that is darker, richer and more fragrant than is typical for this distinguished appellation.

We achieve this depth and flavor by growing most of our grapes at our estate vineyard. The shallow, dense soils and cool marine influence of nearby San Pablo Bay create a rich, silky and seductive Pinot Noir.

The wine's lish aromas of blackberry and cassis are supported by a hint of spice and earthiness with particularly long-lasting flavors."

Other information:

Winemaker's Notes from Acacia's website:

BARREL AGING
9 Months
66% French Oak
34% Hungarian Oak
37% New Oak

AGEABILITY
4-6 Years

PRODUCTION STATISTICS
Harvest Dates August 16 - September 9
Wine Acidity 5.5 g/L
Wine pH 3.64
Alcohol 14.4%

ABOUT THE WINE
In making Pinot Noir, we focus on the rich fruit character of the varietal, while keeping the structure of the wine in perfect balance. Destemmed but not crushed, the grapes were fermented to a maximum temperature of 90ºF. As the must reached optimum balance, the wine was put into small oak barrels to finish fermentation, and aged for nine months.

Ruby in color, the 2004 Acacia Carneros Pinot Noir offers deep, ripe aromas of satsuma plum, raspberry, rose petal, smoke and wet earth. It is sweet on the entry with flavors of plum, cherry and blackberry, and finishes long with a rich earthiness. This wine is lovely with richer pasta dishes, roast chicken, red meats and savory cheeses.

ABOUT THE VINEYARDS
The majority of our grapes for this wine come from the 90 acres of Pinot Noir planted on our estate surrounding the winery. It is here that we pursue viticulture at its highest level-in everything from clonal selection to irrigation management. Eight vineyards within a couple of miles from the winery supply the grapes that complete our Carneros Pinot Noir. Long-term relationships with the growers allow us to control the viticultural practices of each of these properties.

ABOUT THE VINTAGE
The 2004 season got off to an early start, with no spring frost. Due to the previous year’s rains, crop load was reduced - a benefit for grape quality. An extended heat spell in August compacted the harvest, producing perfectly ripe grapes. This looks to be an excellent vintage.

Acacia
Napa Valley,CA

2004

Pinot Noir
Carneros

Smell:

fruit and wood with a hint of spices, combined to a nice aroma

Purchase Price:
~ $25

Taste:

A light citric taste at first, followed by a surge of spice which is quickly followed by a fruity aftertaste.

Rating:

 



Links:
Acacia Vineyard

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: light
Color: dark plum red

Personal Comments:

It's okay. Beringer has made better tasting Pinot Noirs than
this one..

Website information:

This wine wasn't listed on the Beringer website?
They mentioned other Founders' Estate and as well as
other Pinot Noirs - but not this one?

Other information:

n/a

Awards

None mentioned

 


 

Beringer
Founders' Estate
Pinoir Noir

2004

Smell:

cherry, strawberry, spices and oak

Purchase Price:
~ $10

Taste:

fruity at first, a splash of spices when swallowed and a brief taste of plums afterwards

Aftertaste burns for a little bit, not much flavor though.

Rating:

 



Links:

http://www.beringer.com/

 

Sight:

Appearance: dark and uninviting
bod
y: ligh
Color: very dark red, almost black

Personal Comments:

The label quotes Martin Ray: "Great wine lights a fire in the soul that time can't put out."

Well, this wine doesn't. There's nothing special about it. The citric taste has put out the fire in my soul for this wine..

Label information:

 

Awards:

The Wine Spectator : 84 pts

Martin Ray
La Montana,CA

1997

Pinot Noir

Smell:

fruit and wood, strong smell of citrus is overpowering

Purchase Price:
~ $20

Taste:

A strong wooden taste at first, followed by a way-too citric aftertaste. Hidden in-between there is a full-bodied taste of berry lurking. But it's barely noticeable unless one takes a very big sip.
Might seem just a bit past it's age (2006).

Rating:

 



Links:
http://www.martinraywinery.com

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: nice and clear
Body: light
Color: dark cherry red

Personal Comments:

This could easily become a new favorite. Refreshing taste with cascading flavors. Excellent.

Label information:
"The Silver Label Pinot Noir has a bright ruby color and an alluring perfume of red plumb, sweet spices and French Vanilla. Profuse flavors of black cherry, dark currant, and strawberry fill the palate while notes of sandalwood continue into the soft, elegeant finish."

Other information:

 

Francis Coppola(California)
2005
Pinot Noir
Silver Label

Smell:

A blend of fruit, wood & spices. Refreshing and intriguing.

Purchase Price:
~ $22

Taste:

A little citric when it first hits the palate, but immediatly develops its own flavors.
The spices and fruit are deliciously blended and develop a cascading taste sensation.

A taste of cherry with a mild aftertaste that turns into spices as the aftertaste lingers for minutes.

Long flavor and very nice taste.

Rating:

 



Links:
http://www.niebaum-coppola.com/

 

 

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: light
Color: light cherry red

Personal Comments:

Nothing special about this wine. Average price, average taste, overall, a disappointing Pinot Noir.

This is the second Blackstone Pinot Noir I tasted and didn't care for at all. I guarentee there won't be a third entry for a Blackstone.

Website information:

Other information:

 

Awards

 

 


 

Cavit Collection
Pinoir Noir

2005

Smell:

citrus and spices

Purchase Price:
~ $10

Taste:

Citric and disappointingly light in texture and body
Followed by a brief rise of spices.

Aftertaste is a little spicy at first, and ends sweet. However, there is no highlight
when drinking it. Very average and a disappointing Pinot Noir experience.


Rating:

 



Links:

Blackstone Winery

Tie One On For Safety

Sight:

Appearance: clear
Body: very light
Color: cherry red

Personal Comments:

Very cheap wine. Nothing exciting about it, but it might go well with a
bigger dinner. The wine tastes okay, but is not an adventure by itself.

Website information:

Woodbridge Pinot Noir comes from vineyards near Limoux, in France’s Languedoc. This cool region is especially well suited to Pinot Noir vines, giving our Pinot Noir elegant cranberry and black cherry character with complex orange peel, licorice and peppery spice accents. Hints of smoky, “bacony” nuances from French and American oak, weave through the silky layers of vibrant fruit. These flavors match perfectly with smoky, grilled chicken, pork, fresh tuna or salmon; roast chicken with rosemary and garlic; and paella with sausage."

Other information:

Region/Origin: Vins de Pay D'Oc
Residual Sugar: 0.16%
Total Acid: 0.55%
Alcohol: 12.5%
Final pH: 3.54
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir


Awards

 


 

Woodbridge
by Robert Mondavi

Vin de Pays d'Oc
2005
Pinot Noir

Smell:

fruity aroma with plum and vanilla

Purchase Price:
~ $10.99 for 1.5L

Taste:

Slightly acidic taste at first, followed by a fruity mid-taste.
Wooden-spicy aftertaste.

Rating:

 



Links: Woodbridge Wines